RUSSIA: Russia has rejected talk of early sanctions against Iran, while France has warned against conflict, raising doubts as to whether the country will in fact face penalties if nuclear work is not halted by the August 31st deadline.
Meanwhile, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said he expected new talks in days with Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, "to get clarification [on Iran's response] and see how we can move the process forward".
Mr Solana said Iran's reply to an offer of economic incentives to stop enriching uranium, a document of more than 20 pages, contained "new elements" about which he would like to talk.
Responding to the offer, Iran hinted to six world powers on Tuesday it could rein in its programme as a result of talks to implement the package - but not as a precondition as they demand.
The reply seemed tailored to crack the brittle united front of four Western powers and Russia and China, who agreed the UN deadline. The West sees Iran's nuclear drive as a threat to peace. Russia and China, key trade partners of Iran, do not.
"I know of no instances in world practice and previous experience in which sanctions have achieved their aim and proved effective," Russian defence minister Sergei Ivanov said.
Washington has said the six powers will move quickly to adopt sanctions if Iran disregards the deadline. Britain, Germany and France have been less forthright in public. Russia and China have been unwilling and could veto sanctions in the council.
US, French and German leaders said Iran's 21-page response to the incentives offer was unsatisfactory because it did not specifically agree to stop purifying uranium. Iran says its nuclear ambitions are limited to power production.
Asked about Russia's rejection of sanctions for now, US state department spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos said there were several days before the UN deadline and a lot could happen.
"This is diplomacy. We are going to be working together in consultation with them [ Russia]. The group will come together and we will make some decisions," said Mr Gallegos.
French president Jacques Chirac said Iran's response was "ambiguous".
"For the moment, it [the Iranian response] is not satisfactory," French foreign minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said, but added that it was important to avoid escalating conflict with Iran and the Muslim world. "The worst thing would be to escalate into a confrontation [between the West and] Iran on the one hand, and the Muslim world with Iran. That would be the clash of civilisations that France today is practically alone in trying to avoid," he said. - (Reuters)